Mark Synnott

Mark Synnott

Alpine Climber

In 1993, like many young people before him, Mark Synnott found himself graduating Middlebury College unsure of what his future would hold - specifically his career path. However, he was certain of one thing – he wanted to climb. This passion led him to find work as a carpenter, a job conducive to a transient lifestyle.

A few years later, a 39-day stint living on the side of the 4,700-foot north face of Polar Sun Spire, a rock tower rising from a frozen fjord in Canada’s Baffin Island, changed his life forever. Thus in 1996, he began his quest to climb some of the biggest walls on the planet. He bid farewell to his days as a carpenter and never looked back.

Innumerable big wall and alpine climbing adventures have transpired since, taking Mark on adventures to places like Pakistan, Nepal, India, China, Tibet, Oman, Alaska, Newfoundland, Baffin Island, Greenland, Iceland, Guyana, Venezuela, Patagonia, Chad, Cameroon, Borneo and Pitcairn Island. In addition to his big wall exploits, Mark is also an accomplished free climber, enjoying long adventure trad climbs, such as the infamous “Stratosphere” in Colorado’s Black Canyon or the east face of Mt. Babel in the Canadian Rockies. He has on-sighted 5.12 and red-pointed 5.13. Equally comfortable on ice and mixed as he is on rock, Mark has climbed high-end winter routes across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Scandinavia.

As passionate about skiing and ski mountaineering as he is about climbing, Mark appeared in the 2001 Warren Miller film “Cold Fusion,” skiing off Mt. Waddington and Mt. Combatant in British Columbia. More recently, he snagged the first descent of a 5,100-foot couloir on Baffin Island’s highest peak, Mt. Odin.

When he’s not in the mountains, Mark works with The North Face’s research, design and development teams. He’s also a successful freelance photojournalist and the author of Baffin Island: Climbing, Trekking and Skiing. His articles and photos have appeared in numerous publications in the United States and abroad, including National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Outside, Climbing, Rock & Ice, Skiing and New York magazine. Mark is an AMGA certified guide and the owner of Synnott Mountain Guides (www.synnottmountainguides.com), a climbing school based in his hometown of Jackson, New Hampshire.

For more information on Mark’s endeavors and climbing programs, visit www.newhampshireclimbing.com.

How I Relax: Trail running to clear my head; reading at night to increase my knowledge of various subjects I find interesting; sitting by the fire at night with my children

Dream Vacation: Sailing and climbing on the coast of Maine

Favorite Food Dish or Cuisine: New England Clam Bake

Favorite Movie: Tommy Boy

Favorite Snack: cheese, salami and crackers

Favorite Piece of Your Sport’s History: I have always been inspired by the Golden Age of mountaineering, i.e. the first half or so of the 20th century, when most of the world’s most beautiful mountains were still unclimbed. I can only imagine how it must have felt to explore the Himalayas, looking up at some of the most majestic peaks in the world, knowing that none of them had yet been climbed.

Words to Live By/Personal Mantra: Live in the moment

Three TNF Products You Always Pack: Makalu jacket, because it is the most versatile jacket ever made, and I know it will never let me down. Beeline sleeping bag, because it is so light and I can use it for everything from a summer El Cap route, to an overnight alone climb in the Cascades, or even as a sleeping bag liner on an Alaskan or Arctic expedition. Sargent Hoodie, because I love hoodies, and particularly this one because it is fleece, just the right weight, with a nice simple design.

Which Causes are you Passionate About: I am a board member of the Access Fund and the Mountain Rescue Service. Both are organizations which I believe in completely. I am also a member/instructor for the Eastern Slope Ski Club, which teaches skiing to grammar school kids here in the Mount Washington Valley. I also support the American Mountain Guides Association, the American Alpine Club and Kismet, a local non-profit that provides climbing experiences for under-privileged kids.

Proudest Moment of Your Career: when each of my three children were born; any summit pales in comparison

Favorite Climb: El Capitan

Favorite Vice at Basecamp: an evening cocktail

Favorite Trail: In the White Mountain National Forest behind my house - the trail leaves from my back door

Favorite Event: My kids’ soccer games because I love watching them do something they love that is healthy and shared with other kids and parents.

Goal(s) This Season: to find balance between my adventures/work/fatherhood